The spectacular plant and animal biodiversity on Earth, and the amazing adaptations of species to their various ways of life, are the products of evolution. This course explores the principles and processes that drive evolutionary change, using examples drawn from plants and animals. Importantly, the course explores the methods and approaches that can be used to understand evolutionary processes and reconstruct evolutionary history. Topics covered in this course will include: phylogeny and the history of life, natural selection and adaptation, mutation and genetic drift, molecular evolution, speciation, coevolution, macroevolution, and human evolution. This course is taught interactively through lectures and workshops. Students will examine the milestone research studies that identified the basic principles and processes in evolutionary change, and the most recent experimental and genetic tools to test hypotheses concerning the evolution of life.
Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with undergraduates but are assessed separately
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Examine, summarise and integrate central ideas underpinning evolutionary patterns and processes from the molecular to the macro scale.
- Analyse the role of observation, pattern, experimentation and modelling in the generation and testing of evolutionary hypotheses.
- Critically evaluate scientific evidence for and against evolutionary patterns and processes.
- Conduct basic evolutionary research and effectively communicate the findings both orally and in writing.
- Recognize and describe the strengths and weaknesses of a case study in evolutionary research
Research-Led Teaching
The strong emphasis of this course is on understanding evolution not by memorizing facts, but by understanding how evolutionary biologists do their research. The first week of the course gives a historical background into the development of evolutionary ideas in biology. The rest of the course draws heavily on both classic and contemporary research to understand how current thinking in evolution has been shaped. Three discussion workshops encourage students to engage with and critically analyze key research on different aspects of evolution.
Field Trips
There are no field trips for this course.
Additional Course Costs
There are no additional costs.
Examination Material or equipment
None other than standard exam materials.
Required Resources
There are no required resources.
Recommended Resources
Some of the course is loosely based on the textbook "Evolution: Making Sense of Life" (2nd ed, 2016) by Carl Zimmer & Douglas Emlen. Lecturers will vary in how closely their lectures are linked to the textbook content. However, buying the textbook is by no means compulsory and students will not be disadvantaged if they can't buy their own copy. There are a limited number of copies available for short loan in the Hancock Library.
Staff Feedback
Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:
- written comments
- verbal comments
- feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc
Student Feedback
ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.
Other Information
A course handbook will be provided on the Wattle site. This will include a comprehensive description of the course, the timetable and assessment items. The handbook is updated occasionally during the semester so students should check regularly for updates. Announcements will be made on Wattle and in lectures about upcoming events and deadlines. Lecturers will also post their lecture slides, relevant journal papers, useful links and other resources to support student learning, on the Wattle site.
Class Schedule
| Week/Session | Summary of Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to course (Marcel) The discovery of evolution (Lindell) 3 lectures | |
| 2 | Molecular evolution (Lindell) 3 lectures | |
| 3 | Natural Selection (Loeske) 3 lectures | |
| 4 | Microevolution (Loeske) 3 lectures 1 discussion group workshop | Compulsory discussion group workshop: Selection & evolutionary dynamics |
| 5 | Adaptation (Sasha) 3 lectures | |
| 6 | Sex (Sasha) 3 lectures 1 discussion group workshop | Compulsory discussion group workshop: Levels of analysis in evolution |
| 7 | Speciation (Craig) 3 lectures | |
| 8 | Speciation (Craig) 3 lectures 1 discussion group workshop | Compulsory discussion group workshop: Hot topics in speciation |
| 9 | Human evolution & health (Craig) 3 lectures | |
| 10 | Phylogenetics (Marcel) 3 lectures | |
| 11 | Macroevolution (Marcel) 3 lectures 1 discussion group workshop | Compulsory discussion group workshop: Evolution of Biodiversity |
| 12 | Macroevolution (Lindell) 3 lectures |
Tutorial Registration
All tutorials are scheduled as single-date events. No signup required.
Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Value | Due Date | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop 1: Discussion Group | 8 % | 20/08/2020 | 1,2,3 |
| Workshop 2: Discussion Group | 8 % | 03/09/2020 | 1,2,3 |
| Workshop 3: Discussion Group | 8 % | 01/10/2020 | 1,2,3 |
| Workshop 4: Discussion Group | 8 % | 22/10/2020 | 1,2,3 |
| Essay 1 | 13 % | 18/09/2020 | 1,2,3,4 |
| Essay 2 | 13 % | 30/10/2020 | 1,2,3,4 |
| Fortnightly quizzes | 24 % | * | 1,2,3 |
| Critical essay | 18 % | 23/10/2020 | 1,2,3,4 |
* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details
Policies
ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:
- Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
- Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
- Student Surveys and Evaluations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
Assessment Requirements
The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.
Moderation of Assessment
Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.
Participation
This course works best when everyone participates actively. All activities in 2020 will be done remotely, but most lectures will be done live through zoom, and lecturers will encourage questions and discussions. If there is something you don't fully understand in a lecture, or an idea you'd like to hear thoughts of the lecturer or other students on, please ask! It is what we are expecting.There is also a forum for online discussions on the Wattle page.
The course includes four compulsory workshops which will involve students doing group presentations. If you have an unavoidable clash with a workshop (thursdays 12-2pm in weeks 4,6,8,11), or if you are sick and can't attend, let the convenor know, and we can usually work out a solution.
Assessment Task 1
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3
Workshop 1: Discussion Group
The Discussion Group Workshops are designed to challenge students with interpreting and debating key research papers. The class will be divided into six groups at the start of the semester. Two research papers will be made available 2 weeks ahead of each workshop. In each workshop, two groups will each deliver a 15-minute group presentation on one paper, then lead the class in a discussion of the paper, assisted by the lecturer and tutor. All students in the four groups not presenting will submit a one-page mini-review of one paper and come prepared with some questions for the discussion. The presentation and the mini-review are each worth 10% (all members of the group get the same score for the presentation, but each student submits their own mini-review and gets their own score).
In semester 2, 2020, discussion groups will be held remotely through zoom.
Due: Thursday week 4
Returned: We will attempt to return marked assessment items or release marks on Wattle within 2 weeks of the deadline, but this isn't always possible.
Assessment Task 2
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3
Workshop 2: Discussion Group
The Discussion Group Workshops are designed to challenge students with interpreting and debating key research papers. The class will be divided into six groups at the start of the semester. Two research papers will be made available 2 weeks ahead of each workshop. In each workshop, two groups will each deliver a 15-minute group presentation on one paper, then lead the class in a discussion of the paper, assisted by the lecturer and tutor. All students in the four groups not presenting will submit a one-page mini-review of one paper and come prepared with some questions for the discussion. The presentation and the mini-review are each worth 10% (all members of the group get the same score for the presentation, but each student submits their own mini-review and gets their own score).
In semester 2, 2020, discussion groups will be held remotely through zoom.
Due: Thursday week 6
Returned: We will attempt to return marked assessment items or release marks on Wattle within 2 weeks of the deadline, but this isn't always possible.
Assessment Task 3
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3
Workshop 3: Discussion Group
The Discussion Group Workshops are designed to challenge students with interpreting and debating key research papers. The class will be divided into six groups at the start of the semester. Two research papers will be made available 2 weeks ahead of each workshop. In each workshop, two groups will each deliver a 15-minute group presentation on one paper, then lead the class in a discussion of the paper, assisted by the lecturer and tutor. All students in the four groups not presenting will submit a one-page mini-review of one paper and come prepared with some questions for the discussion. The presentation and the mini-review are each worth 10% (all members of the group get the same score for the presentation, but each student submits their own mini-review and gets their own score).
In semester 2, 2020, discussion groups will be held remotely through zoom.
Due: Thursday week 8
Returned: We will attempt to return marked assessment items or release marks on Wattle within 2 weeks of the deadline, but this isn't always possible.
Assessment Task 4
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3
Workshop 4: Discussion Group
The Discussion Group Workshops are designed to challenge students with interpreting and debating key research papers. The class will be divided into six groups at the start of the semester. Two research papers will be made available 2 weeks ahead of each workshop. In each workshop, two groups will each deliver a 15-minute group presentation on one paper, then lead the class in a discussion of the paper, assisted by the lecturer and tutor. All students in the four groups not presenting will submit a one-page mini-review of one paper and come prepared with some questions for the discussion. The presentation and the mini-review are each worth 10% (all members of the group get the same score for the presentation, but each student submits their own mini-review and gets their own score).
In semester 2, 2020, discussion groups will be held remotely through zoom.
Due: Thursday week 11
Returned: We will attempt to return marked assessment items or release marks on Wattle within 2 weeks of the deadline, but this isn't always possible.
Assessment Task 5
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4
Essay 1
The essay is a small research project (approximately 1000-1200 words) in which students will describe and critically review a topic. Students will choose from a set of topics that will be made available on Wattle, then given approximately 2 weeks to research and complete their essay. Students will be expected to search for and make use of research articles from the literature, and to apply the concepts and ideas that have been covered in the course.
Returned: We will attempt to return marked assessment items or release marks on Wattle within 2 weeks of the deadline, but this isn't always possible.
Assessment Task 6
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4
Essay 2
The essay is a small research project (approximately 1000-1200 words) in which students will describe and critically review a topic. Students will choose from a set of topics that will be made available on Wattle, then given approximately 2 weeks to research and complete their essay. Students will be expected to search for and make use of research articles from the literature, and to apply the concepts and ideas that have been covered in the course.
Returned: We will attempt to return marked assessment items or release marks on Wattle within 2 weeks of the deadline, but this isn't always possible.
Assessment Task 7
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3
Fortnightly quizzes
Every second Friday an online quiz (in Wattle) will become available for a limited time period, and once the quiz has been started students have a set time to complete and submit their answers. The quiz questions may be multiple choice or short-answer, and they will cover and help to reinforce the topics covered in lectures and discussion groups in the previous 2 weeks. Each quiz is worth 4% of the course mark, and the quizzes in total are worth 24%.
Assessment Task 8
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4
Critical essay
Students will choose an article published recently in an evolution journal that describes original research (ie, not a review, commentary or opinion article), and present a critical analysis of the research question, data and methods used, and interpretation, discussion and conclusions. By the end of week 5, students should choose their article and notify the convenor to ensure the article is a suitable one.
Returned: We will attempt to return marked assessment items or release marks on Wattle within 2 weeks of the deadline, but this isn't always possible.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.
The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.
The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.
Online Submission
You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.
Hardcopy Submission
For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.
Late Submission
Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:
- Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.
Referencing Requirements
Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.
Returning Assignments
Discussion group presentations are assessed on the day by lecturers and tutor. Discussion group mini-reviews and computer prac worksheets should be submitted via the Wattle page.
Extensions and Penalties
Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.
Resubmission of Assignments
We do not allow resubmission of assignments.
Privacy Notice
The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.
Distribution of grades policy
Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.
Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.
Support for students
The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).
- ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
- ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
- ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
- ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
- ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
- ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
- PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students
Convener
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Research Interestsmacroevolution, macroecology, biogeography, conservation |
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Prof Marcel Cardillo
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Instructor
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Dr Sasha Mikheyev
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Instructor
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Dr Craig Moritz
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Instructor
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Prof Lindell Bromham
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Instructor
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Prof Loeske Kruuk
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